History of the Yakima Valley, Washington; comprising Yakima, Kittitas, and Benton Counties, Vol. II, Part 38

Author: Lyman, William Denison, 1852-1920
Publication date: 1919
Publisher: [Chicago] S.J. Clarke
Number of Pages: 1138

USA > Washington > Benton County > History of the Yakima Valley, Washington; comprising Yakima, Kittitas, and Benton Counties, Vol. II > Part 38
USA > Washington > Kittitas County > History of the Yakima Valley, Washington; comprising Yakima, Kittitas, and Benton Counties, Vol. II > Part 38
USA > Washington > Yakima County > History of the Yakima Valley, Washington; comprising Yakima, Kittitas, and Benton Counties, Vol. II > Part 38

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has made the barren region, which in early days produced nothing but sagebrush, bloom and blossom as the rose. His labors have indeed wrought splendid results and as one of the early pioncer settlers here he has contributed in marked measure to the development and upbuilding of the district in which he lives.

On the 9th of November, 1905, Mr. Lewis was married to Miss Bertha V. Hay, who was born in Kansas, a daughter of Jacob Hay, one of the early settlers of Washington, who arrived in the Yakima valley at an early day. To Mr. and Mrs. Lewis have been born seven children: Paul B .; Naomi and Nora, twins; Velma; Abraham Grant; Emma; and Jacob Jackson.

In his political views Mr. Lewis is a republican and keeps well informed on the questions and the issues of the day. He has always been a deep student of the bible, being wonderfully well posted upon this holy volume. He and his wife are active and earnest members of the Church of God. Through his close study he has found that the bible is divided into 40's, 12's, 7's and 3's, these numbers running all through. These numbers are there to show that God is the author of the bible. for no human could have interluded these numbers through the bible in their har- mony, sequence and frequency. Mr. Lewis is one of the pioneer settlers of the Cowiche, a well known, genial oldtimer whose friends are legion and who is every- where spoken of in terms of the highest regard.

D. D. REYNOLDS.

D. D. Reynolds, a representative of ranching interests in the vicinity of Wiley City, was born in Greene county, Missouri, August 16, 1873, a son of J. W. and Susan E. (Garoutte) Reynolds, the former a native of Missouri, while the latter was born in Ohio. The paternal grandfather, D. D. Reynolds, was one of the pioneer settlers of Missouri, where he spent the remainder of his days. His son. J. W. Rey- nolds, came to the Pacific northwest in 1877, at which time he settled in Oregon, and after residing there for seven years removed by wagon to Yakima county in 1884. He purchased a ranch on the Ahtanum, where he lived for some time, and later made his home on the Cowiche, subsequently returning to the Ahtanum where he spent the last twenty years of his life, passing away in 1913. His wife died in this locality, one year later, in 1914.

D. D. Reynolds of this review obtained a public school education and engaged in ranching with his father, early becoming familiar with the best methods of tilling the soil and caring for the crops. He was thus employed until 1896, when he pur- chased twenty acres of land at Fairview, owning that property until February, 1901. when he sold it. He then removed to the Ahtanum and bought forty acres of land adjoining Wiley City. Upon this he erected a fine residence and model barns. The place is called Carnation Illahee and is one of the attractive ranch properties of this section of the state. Mr. Reynolds is engaged in the raising of alfalfa hay and also in stock raising, dairying and poultry raising. Each branch of his business is care- fully conducted and he makes a close study of the best methods of carrying on the work of each particular line.

On the 6th of April, 1896, Mr. Reynolds was united in marriage to Mrs. Mary (Benton) Libbey, who was born on the Ahtanum in Yakima county, in fact she was the first white child horn on the Ahtanum the date of her birth being February 6, 1867. Her present home is within one mile of the place of her birth. She is a daughter of H. M. and Mary (Allen) Benton. Her father was born at Hartford, Connecticut, while her mother's birth occurred in the Cascades of Oregon. H. M. Benton was a sea captain who made the trip around Cape Horn and up the Pacific coast, becom- ing one of the pioneers of Oregon. He had previously visited all parts of the world and had gained many interesting experiences. In the fall of 1866 his wife and her father, J. W. Allen, arrived in Yakima county and they located on the Ahtanum, where Mrs. Reynolds was born in the following February. Her father traded a pipe and twenty dollars in money for one hundred and sixty acres of farm land that is today worth two hundred dollars per acre. He resided thereon until his later life, when he accepted a job on the steamship Clara Nevada, running to Alaska. This

MR. AND MRS. D. D. REYNOLDS

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boat was wrecked by an explosion in 1897 and all were drowned. His widow survives and is now living on the lower Ahtanum.

Mrs. Reynolds had one child by her former marriage, Mabel, who is now residing in Yakima. When Mrs. Reynolds came to this section the nearest postoffice to her home was at The Dalles, Oregon, and all supplies were freighted in by wagon, a distance of one hundred miles. Mr. and Mrs. Reynolds attend the Congregational church, and he is a charter member of the Modern Woodmen of America and also belongs to the Royal Neighbors. In politics he is a strong republican unfaltering in his allegiance to the party. Both he and his wife are representatives of honored old pioneer families of the northwest and from early days they have been much in- terested in the growth and development of the section in which they live and have borne their full part in the work of general progress and improvement. They have indeed witnessed great changes as the years have passed and the wild regions have been taken over for the purposes of civilization. Mr. Reynolds is today numbered among the leading ranchers of his section, having a valuable and attractive home, while his land has been brought under a high state of cultivation.

CHARLES A. ABBE.

· The beautiful home of Charles A. Abbe is situated in the midst of a valuable ranch property on which he is extensively and profitably engaged in fruit raising, while a portion of his land is seeded to alfalfa. The steps in his orderly progression are easily discernible. He has worked persistently and energetically, wisely utiliz- ing the opportunities that have come to him and never afraid to take a forward step when the way seemed open. He was born in Berrien county, Michigan, December 12, 1855, a son of Albert Goodell and Margaret (Kromer) Abbe, the former a native of Massachusetts, while the latter was born in New York. Removing to the west in 1814, when a youth of but sixteen years, Albert G. Abbe became one of the earliest of the pioneer residents of Michigan, making the journey to the Mississippi valley with ox teams. He was afterward a boatman on the St. Joseph river and he took active part in the early development of the section of the country in which he lived. The work of planting the seeds of civilization on the western frontier had scarcely been begun, Indians still hunted in the forests and wild game of all kinds was to be had in abundance. He bravely faced the privations, hardships and dangers of life on the frontier and he lived to see a remarkable transformation in the country ere death called him. His remaining days were passed in St. Joseph, Michigan, and he was regarded as one of the substantial citizens of that community.

Charles A. Abbe acquired a public school education in his native country and was reared to the occupation of farming, early becoming familiar with the best methods of tilling the soil and caring for the crops. He afterward became identi- fied with the milk business in St. Joseph. Prior to this time he had spent a period in a hardware store, so that his training and experiences were broad and varied.

It was in March, 1898, that Charles A. Abbe arrived in Yakima and with the northwest he has since been closely associated, covering a period of more than two decades. He first invested in forty acres of land three miles southwest of the city and to his original tract afterward added ten acres. This was devoted to the raising of wheat. He at once began the task of further developing and improving the property. Five acres had been planted to orchards of apples, pears, peaches and other fruits. That he has constantly carried forward the work of development is shown in the fact that he now has thirty-two acres in bearing orchards, from which he annually gathers good crops. He also has considerable of his land seeded to alfalfa. He knows what kinds of fruit are best adapted to soil and climatic condi- tions here and he employs the most scientific methods in the care of his trees and in the preparation of his fruit for the market. He has built a beautiful home on his place and added to it all modern equipment and improvement and it now con- stitutes one of the attractive features of the landscape.

In 1883 Mr. Abbe was married to Miss Florence Miners, a native of Michigan and a daughter of John Miners. To Mr. and Mrs. Abbe were born two children:

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Aletha Geneva, now the wife of Wilbur R. Williams, a resident of Yakima, by whom she has two children; and Frederick, who is living in Traverse and has a wife and one son. Mrs. Abbe passed away in October, 1898, and on the 11th of April, 1903, Mr. Abbe was again married, his second union being with Mary H. Murphy, who was born in California and is a daughter of Edward and Mary (Holmes) Murphy, who, leaving Illinois in 1860, crossed the plains to California. At a subsequent period, however, they returned to Rock Island, Illinois, and their last days were there passed. Her father, a native of Washington, D. C., was a lawyer and had been admitted to practice in six different states. Her mother was born in Vermont. Her grand- father, Edward Murphy, was a stone mason and helped to build the Capitol at Washington, D. C.

In his fraternal relations Charles A. Abbe is a Mason, belonging to Yakima Lodge, No. 24, F. & A. M., also to Yakima Chapter, No. 21, R. A. M., and likewise to the Order of the Eastern Star, with which his wife is also affiliated. They are consistent members of the Methodist church and are people of genuine worth, hav- ing the warm regard and good will of all with whom they have been brought in contact. In politics Mr. Abbe is an independent republican, usually supporting the principles of the party yet not considering himself bound by party ties. He is a member of the Grange and of the Yakima County Horticultural Union and he is interested in everything that has to do with the development of the state along agricultural and horticultural lines. He has been Quick to adopt new ideas of value in the further development of his land and he readily discriminates between the essential and the non-essential in all that has to do with the raising of fruit and grain.

WILLIAM J. POTTER.

William J. Potter has attained a position in life which entitles him to be num- bered among the prosperons horticulturists of Yakima county. Not only has he very valuable property near Tieton but he is also in charge of the large packing house which is maintained by the Yakima County Horticultural Union, of which he is local manager. He is in every way a leading and progressive business man and through his efforts has done much toward bringing about prosperity in his district. Moreover, he has rare social qualities and has many friends in his neighborhood. His farm is considered one of the most valuable on the Tieton and in its present prosperous condition stands as a monument of his industry and advanced thought in regard to horticultural and agricultural work.

A native of Wisconsin, Mr. Potter was born in Eau Claire, July 11, 1881, and is a son of Herbert R. and Emma May (Hamilton) Potter. The father was born in Maine and the mother in Prescott, Wisconsin, the latter being a daughter of Rev. William Hamilton, a well known pioneer of that state and a Methodist minister known throughout northern Wisconsin, whither he had traveled by wagon from Indiana. Herbert R. Potter took up his abode in Wisconsin in 1871 and in that state he was married. For many years he was in the shoe business but in 1908 came with his family to Yakima county, where he bought twenty acres of land on the Tieton which was then covered with sagebrush. His was the second new family to come into this district after the Tieton project was completed and the Potters are therefor to be numbered among the pioneers here. This tract was all planted to apples, pears and peaches. As the years have passed this has been developed into a very valuable property and the income which the family receives therefrom is most gratifying.

William J. Potter of this review owns the ranch with his father and they are numbered among the leading horticulturists of the section. He has made a deep study of horticulture and is not only thoroughly informed in regard to local condi- tions as pertaining to climate and soil but he is equally well informed regarding the marketing and sale of his fruit. He traveled for a number of years for a shoe house and carefully studied business conditions in various states, thus acquiring the business insight which now well qualifies him for his important position as

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local manager for the Yakima County Horticultural Union, being in charge of their large packing house. The Tieton branch of this union handled eighty-five carloads of fruit in 1918 and during the busy season thirty people are employed to pack and ship this fruit. The importance of Mr. Potter's position is therefore easily rec- ognized. Moreover, it stands to reason that he has the full confidence of his neigh- bors, who entrust him with their valuable shipments and have great faith in his ability. Another item which has probably had part in his business success is the excellent education which he received in his youth, for he is a graduate of the high school at Eau Claire, Wisconsin. After coming to the west he assisted his father greatly in picking out the desired land and it was partly due to his judgment that the land now under the Tieton project was chosen.

On the 10th of June, 1903, Mr. Potter was united in marriage to Miss Susan May Strang, who was born in McGregor, Iowa, a daughter of I. L. and Margaret (Wheeler) Strang, who moved to Eau Claire, Wisconsin, when Mrs. Potter was a little maiden. She received an excellent education and is a thoroughly trained musician. She has a fine studio at Naches, Washington, and at one time served as president of the Ladies Musical Club of Yakima. Not only is she a fine teacher, but also an ex- cellent performer and high encomiums have been paid to her art. Both Mr. and Mrs. Potter are welcome guests in the best social circles of their neighborhood and at their own fireside often dispense hospitality with a free hand. Mrs. Potter is an active member of the Episcopal church.

In his political views Mr. Potter is a stanch republican, being thoroughly versed in regard to the issues of the day. He is not only interested in national and state politics as well as county affairs but gives active help to all worthy projects in order to promote the general welfare. He is popular and is generally conceded to be a hale fellow well met, having many friends who appreciate in him a man of high qualities of character .and sound business ability.

JOHN C. WILSON.

John C. Wilson, owner of one of the fine ranch properties of Kittitas county, comprising one hundred and sixty acres of rich and valuable land, annually gathers abundant golden harvests by reason of the care and attention which he bestows upon his place. He comes to the northwest from Iowa, his birth having occurred in Lee county, that state, on the 8th of August, 1858. He is a son of Robert and Mary E. (Mills) Wilson. The father was born in England, while the mother's birth occurred in Ohio and they became pioneer residents of Iowa, where they settled in the early '50s. They removed to Scotland county Missouri in 1872 and there both the father and mother remained until called to their final rest.

John C. Wilson acquired a public school education, supplemented by study in the State Normal School at Kirksville, Missouri, from 1876 until 1878. He afterward engaged in farming in Missouri for a period of six years and in the spring of 1885 made his way to the Pacific coast, settling in California. In August of the same year, however, he proceeded northward to the Kittitas valley, where he purchased land and also took up a desert claim of three hundred and twenty acres. He has since sold all of this property, however, save one hundred and sixty acres, which he has converted into rich and productive fields upon which he annually raises good crops of grain and of hay. He has improved his farm in many ways and is today the owner of an excellent ranch upon which are found good buildings and all modern accessories and conveniences.

Mr. Wilson has been married twice. In 1887 he wedded Artilda A. Tribble- cock, a native of Iowa, who passed away in December, 1891. In 1901 Mr. Wilson was again married, his second union being with Isabelle Murray, of Ellensburg. The children of the first marriage are: Clyde W., who died in 1912; and Grace A., the wife of William Evans, residing at Sunnyside. Washington. Two children have also been born of the second marriage: Mildred M., twelve years of age; and Helen E., aged eight. The family attend the Presbyterian church.

Mr. Wilson is a republican in politics but has never been an office seeker. He

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has, however, served as a member of the school board and the cause of education has ever found in him a stalwart champion. He has not sought, however, to figure in public affairs, content to concentrate his efforts and attention upon his business, with which he was actively identified until a recent date, when he rented his land and is now practically living retired, enjoying a rest which he has truly earned and richly merits.

LOUIS POULSEN.

A well improved ranch property pays tribute to the care and labor bestowed upon it by its owner, Louis Poulsen, now one of the representative agriculturists of Kittitas county. He was born in Denmark, August 19, 1869, a son of Paul and Mary Poulsen, both of whom are now deceased. He came to the United States in 1893, when a young man of about twenty-four years, spending two years in Chicago, after which he came to the northwest, settling in Kittitas county, Washington, in 1894. For four years he engaged in mining at the Swack mines in this county and in 1898 he went to Alaska, where he engaged in mining for four years, prospering during the period of his residence in that section and making enough to buy his farm.

In 1902 Mr. Poulsen returned to Washington and purchased one hundred and twenty acres of land in Kittitas county, near Ellensburg. Later he sold forty acres of this but still retains eighty acres and upon his ranch he has built a fine home, also large and substantial barns and all modern improvements. He raises hay and grain and carefully studies the needs of the soil and the crops best adapted to climatic conditions here. His work is at all times practical and his enterprise and diligence are the basis of his success. He has the latest improved machinery upon his place and in fact his is one of the model ranches of this section, his business being most carefully and wisely managed.

In 1904 Mr. Poulsen was united in marriage to Miss Nettie Deilig, who was born in Springfield, Illinois. Fraternally he is connected with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and his political faith is that of the republican party. He has traveled Quite extensively, seeing much of the world and thus constantly broaden- ing his knowledge by experience. He has a wide acquaintance in Kittitas county and all attest his worth as a man and citizen.

EDMUND L. DORAN.

Edmund L. Doran was born in Waddington, New York, March 14, 1883, son of Samuel B. and Jane (Behan) Doran. The father was customs collector at Wad- dington and in his younger days owned and operated a carding mill at that point. He departed this life in 1907 but the mother still makes her home in the Empire state.

Mr. Doran supplemented his high school course by attending business college at Brockville, Ontario, and started in life as a stenographer. He was employed as such in Detroit, Michigan, from which city he later moved to Chicago, Illinois, and was subscouently employed in various western towns and cities from Chicago to the Pacific coast, but finally returned to Chicago, whence he came to Toppenish in the fall of 1909.

During part of 1909 and 1910 Mr. Doran was employed as bookkeeper by the Traders Bank. In the latter part of 1910 he entered the employ of the Toppenish Commercial Company, Inc., as manager, and a year later bought the controlling interest in that corporation, since which time he has retained such interest and as president and manager has had active control of the business. The company deals largely with city and reservation lands; also has a large fire and life insurance busi- ness.

In 1917 Mr. Doran brought into his office and took the management of a branch of the Fidelity Abstract & Title Company, with head office at Sunnyside, Washing- ton.

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In 1910 Mr. Doran was united in marriage to Mary E. Stone, of Toppenish, the only daughter of Mrs. Susan Swasey, formerly Mrs. Susan Stone.

In 1911 Mr. Doran put a thirty acre addition to Toppenish on the market and has been very successful in disposing of same, and having placed a building restric- tion on the property has succeeded in getting but the better class of residences.

In 1918 Mr. Doran bought the "Bond" property, a one story brick building on Toppenish avenue and moved his offices into same.

Mr. Doran belongs to the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, having mem- bership in Yakima Lodge, No. 318. He is also identified with the Knights of Colum- bus, Toppenish Council, No. 1699, which indicates his religious faith to be that of the Catholic church. Mr. Doran's political belief is that of the republican party, though he is not active in politics, only insofar as the local situation is concerned, hav- ing acted as councilman on the city council, and at present acting as city treasurer.

JOHN MECHTEL.

One of the important business enterprises of Yakima is the bakery owned and conducted by John Mechtel, whose long experience in this line of business well qualifies him for the successful conduct of the enterprise of which he is now the head. He. was born in Minnesota, October 18, 1867, and is a son of Mathew and Katherine Mechtel. The father is still living but the mother has passed away. Mr. Mechtel is a farmer and a dairyman who still makes his home in Minnesota.

John Mechtel acquired his education in the public schools of Shakopee, Minne- sota, and was reared upon the home farm to the age of eighteen years, working in the fields with his father during the periods of vacation, while in the winter months he pursued his studies. He afterward learned the baker's trade under the direction of his uncle at Shakopee, working at twelve dollars per month from four o'clock in the morning until eight o'clock at night. After spending five years in that employ, during which he gained a comprehensive knowledge of the bakery business, he went to St. Paul, Minnesota, where he continued to follow his trade for two years. In 1893 he arrived in Yakima and spent one year in the employ of Joe Metzger. He afterward became connected with John Ditter and eventually they purchased the Luther grocery store on Front street. At a subsequent date they removed to Yakima avenue and in 1896 they purchased the bakery business of Joe Metzger. Mr. Mechtel then took over the bakery, while Mr. Ditter continued in charge of the grocery store. In 1897 the grocery store was destroyed by fire and for two years Mr. Ditter was with Mr. Mechtel in the conduct of the bakery, but in 1899 Mr. Mechtel purchased the interest of his partner and has since conducted the bakery alone. He has ever maintained a lunchroom in connection with the bakery and both branches of his business are liberally patronized. He has an excellent restaurant capable of seat- ing ninety people, and his pastry shop is in the rear. The bread shop is on West Yakima and Eleventh avenues, and the bakery equipment consists of two ovens capable of baking eight thousand loaves of bread daily. He ships bread to all the surrounding towns, making the Butternut and the Holsum bread, for both of which he finds a large sale. He also conducts an extensive wholesale ice cream business and he manuafctures. his own candies. His trade has steadily grown to extensive proportions and he now employs twenty-seven people. He is one of the few busi- ness men of Yakima who have been connected with its commercial interests for a quarter of a century. He has the oldest and largest bakery in the valley and his business overtops that of any other concern of the kind in this section of the state. During the war he set an example by making such changes in his bakery goods as to strictly conform to the existing food regulations and, in fact, was food adminis- trator for the city hotel and other dining rooms for the Yakima district.

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History of the Yakima Valley, Washington; comprising Yakima, Kittitas, and Benton Counties, Vol. II, Part 38

Author: Lyman, William Denison, 1852-1920 Publication date: 1919 Publisher: [Chicago] S.J. Clarke Number of Pages: 1138

Author: Lyman, William Denison, 1852-1920
Publication date: 1919
Publisher: [Chicago] S.J. Clarke
Number of Pages: 1138